I spent hours last night looking for videos to compile American Idiot, by Green Day in a video format.  Mostly, because I feel  that it's one of the most important albums of this decade.

 

I heard the songs American Idiot, Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends long before I bought the album.  One day, on a whim, I bought their live album Bullet In A Bible, and that's where I discovered American Idiot.

 

It's a concept album, plain and simple.  As a fan of Rush, Styx, Dream Theater, Queensryche, Pink Floyd, all of those artists have made an album once in their careers that tells a story.

 

This is a hard album to listen to if you listen to the lyrics.  Storytelling has many forms.  Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirt, and Tre Cool have said this album almost broke the band up.  But they wrote something that has so much integrity and meaning.

 

I felt that with the anniversaries of Katrina and 9-11 coming up, I felt I needed to put my voice out there.  I just did it in an unusual fashion.

 

That's why I did it.

 

(No proceeds from using  the words Why I Did It will go to OJ Simpson).

 

Not for the faint at heart.  In its entirety in video:

 

 

 

American Idiot

 

Jesus of Suburbia

 

Holiday

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRc_9wxniAY

 

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

 

Are We The Waiting

 

St. Jimmy

 

Give Me Novacaine

 

She's A Rebel

 

Extraordinary Girl

Letterbomb

 

Wake Me Up When Setember Ends

 

Homecoming

 

whatshername

 

Bonus:

 

U2 and Green Day

Live in New Orleans

 

Michael Vick's life just went straight to hell.

 

We live in an age where twenty-four hour news and internet access to news sites more or less can inform us of pretty much anything in short notice.  I know many who are not sports fans might not understand the concept of sports, or even why I and billions of others follow them.

 

It's called competition.  Stuff like this is truly mother nature at work.  However, what Michael Vick did is unforgiven.

 

We do have bets on horse racing, and dog racing.  But the owners and trainers, they have rules of who the "Best horse/dog wins", because it doesn't involve killing an animal.

 

In the past twenty-four hours, these are the stories I have read:

 

 

I will grant you, that article can be taken with a grain of salt at times, but it's still damning, if true.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one disturbs me, because Marbury's switch could mean many things.  But I can see his point on he thinking his words may have been edited.  His own league is under its own scandal with gambling charges.

 

 

In those articles, there are links to .pdf

 

I know (especially for a non-sports fan, and quite honestly, for a sports fan, really), that is a ton of articles to read.  But I am a sports fan.  I am also a pet owner.  I am also a human being.

 

I am also one who likes to see the facts.

 

If you google for the .pdf files for the indictment, the plea and summary, and Mr. Goodell's letter to him on his indefinate suspension, read them.  I will warn that the one on the indictment sickens my stomach.  It took today for me to read it.  Make your own judgement.

 

The facts show, from how I have read all of this is,  Michael Vick is a cruel, cruel, man.  He has also been a draw to many fans of the NFL.  He has been considred a hero by many children.  And he is now, in my minds' eye a poster child of American sports gone so astray.  This is why they all should be on a graded scale. Just like the rest of us hard paying working world people who pay to see them play.  They also need to understand that they need to be role models.  Know that we, as fans (and this really goes for any sport, in my mind) are the ones who pay them.  Literally.

 

This is such a juxtaposition.  Warrick Dunn, one of Michael Vick's teamates, has been heralded one of the most giving men in the game.

 

 

Veritas.

 

Such a FUCKING goddamned waste of talent, and the opportunity to be a role model in Michael Vick.

 

I know he will try to repent.  And he will have the right.  But he should donate everything he owns to fight what seed he planted.  Even if he needs to snitch, the idea that he will risk his own life to do what's right will make me believe he is genuine.  Until then,

 

I will never believe him.

 

I am that outraged.

 

Gravitas.

With the utter beatdown that the Texas Rangers gave the Baltimore Orioles last night (30-3 in the first game, 9-7 in the second), ESPN has a funny article called "The 100 Beatdowns in History."  It's a humor column, and lots of interesting pop culture references (one of my favorites is "Sonny and the tollbooth."  You have to be a fan of The Godfather or have seen it to understand that one).

 

Without further ado:

 

 

 

This past Monday, Michael Vick struck a deal with the prosecutors in his dogfighting case, pleading guilty  (officially, this coming Monday, it wil be entered.)

 

I read a story that infuriates me, and I knew that eventually the NAACP would find their way into this mess somehow.  I am not knocking the NAACP in any way, because its mission is a good one, but in this case, they're making a henious act of willfully betting (and more or less murdering) animals a 'racial issue' of some sort.

 

In essence, the leader of the Atlanta chapter wants the NFL to allow Vick to return to the NFL after whatever jail sentance, and (I shit you not) "preferably to the Atlanta Falcons."

 

Mr. A.L. White, here's some food for thought.

 

1).  Michael Vick's behavior, if proven to have lasted his entire NFL career (and possibly in his college days as well), is damning, especially if he admits to gambling and funding dogfights.  Every single major sport organization in the world has strict rules on gambling of any kind.  This includes owners, players, officials, the waterboy.  Sir, look at the NBA having an official (white I might add) making a deal that is scaring the referees of that sport, not to mention players.

 

Another dimension, sir:  Pete Rose.  Banned for life from baseball.  A white man, who even though had one hell of a career as a player, will never EVER be in baseball's hall of fame, because he admitted to gambling on games.  Sad thing is, he found means to market himself.  Vick can too.

 

2).  Dogfighting is an illegal act in this country.  Period.  The fact that Michael Vick more or less plead guilty that he at least had knowledge of such act, and the FACT that it was across state lines (thereby making it a federal case) is serious enough for Roger Goodell to possibly ban him for life...especially if the gambling and racketeering charges had possible merit.  Since Vick plead guilty, and especially if he says he has gambled on such events, Goodell has no choice but to ban him for life.

 

3).  Vick lied to both the owner of the Atlanta Falcons Arthur Blanc *AND* Roger Goodell concerning this subject long before the federal government got involved.  The latter occurred on draft day in April.  I'm sorry, Mr. White, but lying to your boss on such a serious matter such as this needs to be taken seriously by all involved.  Michael Vick has been considered a hero for many years, because of his talent and marketability for the league and the masses.  The league has the right to hire and fire anyone, just like any business.  Michael Vick happens to be a man who is in the spotlight, and has been one of the most popular faces in the NFL.

 

The NFL has to save face somehow.  Sir, they have taken "wait and see approach" on things.  In fact, the Falcons have basically already moved on.  The NFL may do so as well.

 

As a white man sir, I am not outraged at Michael Vick's actions simply because he is black.  If a white player (and someone I admired, say Brett Favre; since he is a personal hero of mine) ended up in this situation, I would feel heartbroken, and say the exact same words, sir, especially if evidence came out so quickly in such short of time.

 

I was a fan of Michael Vick.  I enjoyed watching him play.  In fact, I hoped to see how he could have done in a Super Bowl.

 

He pissed away his job and livelihood, and possibly his life.  He betrayed his owner, his commisioner, his sponsors, and most importantly, his fans.

 

And dammit, I was one of them.

 

 

I am sorry, Mr. White.  This is NOT a color or race issue.  This is a humanity issue.

To expand on my previous post about Michael Vick, I am going to tell a story about a dog named Hooch.  I only met the dog once in my life.  He is long dead, because when I met him, I was very young.

 

One summer, my family took a six week trip on the East Coast.  It's how I managed to see most of the US of A, really.  But we made up our way to Rhode Island, where an uncle of mine on my mother's side lives.  I was at the age where I was watching Lassie among other shows on television, and I remember when we arrived at my uncle's place, I saw Hooch.  As a little kid, what is the first thing you want to do? 

 

Play with an animal.  My uncle warned me, my sister, my brother, and (at the time girlfriend-now-sister-in-law) to stay away from Hooch, because he was vicious.  He was chained up to a tree, and my uncle decided to prove a point.  Given that I was the youngest, I was the bait.

 

He walked me up to Hooch as close as humanly possible before Hooch went crazy. I kid you not, I was within fifty feet of him when he began to bark up a storm.  My uncle told me to go back to the family, and I did, mostly because I was scared.

 

He then walked up to Hooch (and I think my uncle had a treat or something, because I specifically remember him feeding the dog), and I was amazed that the dog was so calm and docile...even began to wag his tail.

 

My aunt explained it.  She said when Hooch was young, some kids used to pick on him.  They threw rocks, sticks, and whatever at him, and he became mean.  My uncle was the only one Hooch would trust.  She couldn't go up to him.

 

So in essence, I was robbed of being able to play with my own real life Lassie.  Hooch looked exactly like her.

 

Shame on you, Michael Vick.  You dug up a memory of animal cruelty.

I am not putting this one under my heading of sports, because this one is beyond contempt, quite honestly.  And as a juror in the court of public opinion, my mind has been made up.

 

For years, I have admired Michael Vick, quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, or it seems now, possibly, he won't be a quarterback of any team.  I'm sure you all have been aware of the allegations concerning his involvement in a dogfighting ring that spanned many states.  The three co-defendants accused with him have already made plea deals.  Yesterday was the deadline for Vick to basically make his own deal, or the federal government would throw an indictment of racketeering and gambling against Vick.  Those are much more serious charges, and VERY hard to beat when the government is involved.  I mean, it involves money exchanged without taxes, gambling, etc.  Al Capone got busted for tax evasion, as opposed to all the murders he was charged with.

 

Since nothing has surfaced concerning whether Vick has had new charges pressed against him, nor any announcement of a plea deal, two possibilities:

 

1).  The deal has been made, and the terms are being negotiated now, but won't be announced until early next week.  It would make sense, because it would take time to make a bargain in such cases.  This, of course, means that Vick's lawyers would have begun the dealing AFTER the hearing that had the three other men involved testify in court.

 

2).  Vick is standing by his guns.  Admirable, but with how things have been played out thus far, he would have one hell of a mountain to climb.

 

I think Option 1 is in the works, because if he stood by his guns, Vick would spend 20 years behind bars with the racketeering and gambling charges.

 

Now, I know there are some out there that would say to me, "Why make this man a pariah?  He only killed dogs.  Others have been though drug charges, rape charges, accessory to murder,  or patterns of spousal abuse, etc."

 

The difference in my mind is, unlike the crimes above, PEOPLE can testify, speak their minds, turn in other people.  Little children can talk about being abused, or about other activities.

 

Animals do communicate with us humans.  They react to kindness and cruelty just like any human.  They can be trained, just like any human.

 

I am by no means a PETA fan, because at times, they are extreme.  I admit I happen to love eating a dead cow or chicken or pig.  But I agree 100 percent on this topic with them.

 

We all have had pets at least once in our lives.  I fought tooth and nail with my father about keeping Janis once I moved (he's never been a pet person).  I specifically looked for an affordable place that would accomodate HER.  She keeps me from being lonely, since I do live by myself.

 

I have also met blind people use seeing-eye dogs, and have always petted said best friend, and they know I mean them no harm.

 

What does this have to do with Michael Vick?  EVERYTHING.  There are kids every day that are given a pet for whatever reason, whether it's to help them heal from an injury, or perhaps teach childen some responsibility.  I mean, come on, the cutest thing in the world is seeing a child discovering a new puppy or kitten, and naming said animal, and watching them scold said animal after they make their first mess on the carpet.

 

But to raise animals specifically to bet on which one survives in a fighting ring, or specifically breed them and teach them to kill in such ways...it's sickening.

 

Once trained in that way, in my mind, you can't just give them a home.  If the cruelty is already set in, you can't reverse it.  They have to be destroyed, unfortunately.

 

I remember when I had an outdoor cat that disappeared for a week.  He was just as friendly as Janis is.  Late one night, mom came into my room, and put the cat down on me while I was watching TV.  When I tried to pet him, he recoiled.  Obviously, someone will ill intentions had his way with him, and it took him weeks to re-learn to trust me.

 

If Michael Vick makes a plea, and in a few years, tries to make a comeback, well....I will root against him.  According to court documents, he was into the dogfighting as far back as his college days.  He also told NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Draft Day that he had no part of it.  Goodell took it in good faith.  Now he has to wonder, did Vick lie to him?

 

Goodell has to put that into consideration when he decides to dole out a punishment for Vick.  He's doing the right thing by doing the wait and see approach.  The most the Atlanta Falcons can do is suspend him for four games, or release him.  The release would kill them in the salary cap, and it would open a new can of worms, because this type of thing is unprecedented, really.  Would Goodell tell the Falcons that the contract ($130 million Vick signed in 2005) be null and void?  Or would he say (since owner Arthur Blank has been supporting Vick over the years because of his inconsistant play...he's streaky, talented, sometimes brilliant, and very exciting to watch), This is just punishment for your team.  Tough luck."  Either way, the owners and players would bitch.

 

This is a nightmare for Goodell and player union leader Gene Upshaw.

 

If I were both men, I would get together, and say, "Ban him for life."  It would show unity between the union and the league, and show that both men are truly serious about player conduct issues on and off the field.

 

Good Lord, this last Super Bowl had the first two black head coaches in it, and the winner has the poster boy of goodness and hard work (Peyton Manning) as their leader.

 

And now this sullies that.

 

Michael Vick, you are beyond redemption....I put you in the category of O.J. Simpson.

 

The first step of a fall, is thinking you are above the law.

 

That's the opinion of this one juror.

One of my favorite columns that I read each week on www.cnnsi.com is Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback.  Always insightful, and interesting to read.

 

There was an interesting tidbit he had in his column today.  I'm not sure if it's going to be a new feature, but if it is, he picked a rather interesting one.

 

 "There are three NFL players from South Dakota. You probably know Adam Vinatieri is one of them. He's a descendant of the bandleader who played for Gen. George Custer before Custer went into the Battle of Little Big Horn.

The other two, incredibly, are starters on the same team in the same position group. Name them. (Answer in No. 10a of Ten Things I Think I Think.)"

Oddly enough, I have wierd ties to all three.  Adam Vinatieri went to college here in Brookings (South Dakota State University).  The other two I've met (one I knew via a friend of mine, since he played ball with him in highschool; the other's uncle works at MTI).

Ben Leber is from Vermillion, SD, where I went to school at USD, and lived for a number of years while I worked at Gateway.  Chad Greenway is from Mt. Vernon, SD (ten miles west of Mitchell).  Both play with the Vikings, while Adam might win yet another Super Bowl, if the Colts can repeat.

Talk about wierdness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's been a week since B*rry B*nds cheated his way into history.

 

I believe that innocence until proven guilty is important. However, if a man has someone who has a friend willingly go to federal prison over discussing any possible role in providing him with unatural means, is a pariah.

 

A liar.  A cheat.  A selfish son of a bitch.

 

For any B*nds supporters, tell me, why did Hank Aaron not attend any games during this "chase"?  Why did Bud Selig, the commish decide to be with Mr. Mitchell investigating the use of steroids in the game we call baseball this week, and have his second in command "honor" your "Hero"?

 

It's called distancing yourself.  But for Selig, he needs to find a way to address this without pissing off the player's union.  That's part of the problem.  I hope Bud will grow some BALLS and address this.

 

I hope that the players start policing themselves because of this.  Whether they like it or not, they are responsible to help boost the morale of millions of people.  They are role models.

 

It baffles me on how the people of San Francisco celelbrate you.  Good Lord, their beloved coach for the 49ers, Bill Walsh died.  A man who I personally think was the greatest professor of any sport.  He was a student of his profession, and he kept his integriy.

 

They mourn this great man, but yet, they cheer on a man who is destroying a sport.  In 1994, when the baseball strike happened, I lost faith.

 

Watching Cal Ripken, Jr. on ESPN break Lou Gehrig's record of consecutive 2311 games made me a believer again for baseball.

 

I am offically no longer a baseball fan because of B*rry B*nds.

 

B*rry, you are no hero.  You are a pariah just like Pete Rose.

 

You, sir, are not a man.  You singlehandly destroyed baseball, and its image.

 

Unless you grow some BALLS (oh wait, you used steroids!), admit your major error.

 

You are....nothing.

 

61, 714, and 755 are the numbers.

 

The band Rush put it best:

 

You're Nobody's Hero...google the lyrics...you are the opposite of the lyrics.

 

When Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs (and several seasons with 60), he was considered a hero.  Granted, many of Babe's home runs were considered in the ball park home runs, but it still meant that he was special.

 

Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were both getting close to breaking the record that Ruth built.  Mickey, however, was injured much of the year.  When Roger broke the record, he was considered a villain for displacing Ruth with 61 home runs in a season.  The Babe was considered untouchable.  1998, both Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa broke Maris' record, 67 and 63, respectively.  But in light of Big Mac's Al Gore impression in front of Congress in 2003 concerning steroid use, and Slammin' Sammy's corked bat fiasco, many feel that their achievements are invalid.  I happen to be one of them.

 

Hank Aaron not only broke Babe Ruth's 714, but he destroyed it by getting to 755.  Announcer Vince Scully said when Aaron broke the record in Atlanta, "A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking the record of an alltime baseball idol."

 

Aaron refuses to attend games, or answer questions regarding the record, or Bonds..  I really don't blame him.  It all boils down to the whole steroid use and the refusal of his personal trainer and childhood friend Greg Anderson to talk to the federal grand jury about the whole mess.

 

It's his outright mockery of saying that he did it on his own, even though players are coming out to talk to George Mitchell, the special counsel connected to the investigation of their use of drugs.

 

I question this:

 

CAREER BATTING STATS
BATTING
Year	Team	Avg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	OBP	SLG	OPS
1986	PIT	.223	113	413	72	92	26	3	16	48	65	102	.330	.416	.746
1987	PIT	.261	150	551	99	144	34	9	25	59	54	88	.329	.492	.821
1988	PIT	.283	144	538	97	152	30	5	24	58	72	82	.368	.491	.859
1989	PIT	.248	159	580	96	144	34	6	19	58	93	93	.351	.426	.777
1990	PIT	.301	151	519	104	156	32	3	33	114	93	83	.406	.565	.970
1991	PIT	.292	153	510	95	149	28	5	25	116	107	73	.410	.514	.924
1992	PIT	.311	140	473	109	147	36	5	34	103	127	69	.456	.624	1.080
1993	SF	.336	159	539	129	181	38	4	46	123	126	79	.458	.677	1.136
1994	SF	.312	112	391	89	122	18	1	37	81	74	43	.426	.647	1.073
1995	SF	.294	144	506	109	149	30	7	33	104	120	83	.431	.577	1.009
1996	SF	.308	158	517	122	159	27	3	42	129	151	76	.461	.615	1.076
1997	SF	.291	159	532	123	155	26	5	40	101	145	87	.446	.585	1.031
1998	SF	.303	156	552	120	167	44	7	37	122	130	92	.438	.609	1.047
1999	SF	.262	102	355	91	93	20	2	34	83	73	62	.389	.617	1.006
2000	SF	.306	143	480	129	147	28	4	49	106	117	77	.440	.688	1.127
2001	SF	.328	153	476	129	156	32	2	73*	137	177	93	.515	.863	1.379
2002	SF	.370	143	403	117	149	31	2	46	110	198	47	.582	.799	1.381
2003	SF	.341	130	390	111	133	22	1	45	90	148	58	.529	.749	1.278
2004	SF	.362	147	373	129	135	27	3	45	101	232	41	.609	.812	1.422
2005	SF	.286	14	42	8	12	1	0	5	10	9	6	.404	.667	1.071
2006	SF	.270	130	367	74	99	23	0	26	77	115	51	.454	.545	.999
2007	SF	.272	96	261	57	71	11	0	21	50	113	45	.493	.556	1.049

 

Notice that from 2000 to 2004, his home runs skyrocketed.  In 1998, when McGwire and Sosa broke 61, he only had 37.  Granted, 2005 is an anomaly, because he was injured much that year (some would argue because of the affects of steroid use), but this is my point:

 

How can a person dramatically improve late in their career like Bonds did, but once steroids became the hot topic, and the league (and government) comes down with a hard hammer, and suddenly your production drops dramatically?  Why is his trainer outright refusing to talk and chooses to be in federal prison?

 

In a time where sports should be used as escapism from our everyday troubles and worries are instead being mocked by losers like Barry Bonds.  Sure, it'll be put in the record books, but many will consider it like Maris' record.  Except this time, there is real reason to be skeptic.

 

In my mind, Roger Maris and Hank Aaron are the record holders of 61, and 755 respectively.

 

And if it indeed turns out that Bonds used steroids, he should be stripped of his 73 home runs and whatever number he ends up with lifetime.  It should be stricken from the books.  The University of Oklahoma recently had a season full of wins struck from the books because of scandal..  Cyclist Floyd Landis was stripped of his Tour de France title he won last year on accusations of steroid use. 

 

Why should Barry Bonds be held in high regard?

 

Only those who root for him know.

 

I don't say he needs to go to prison or anything for his use of steroids.  I'd rather see his ego be annihilated.  Being branded a cheater is a much more fitting punishment, just like Pete Rose is now considered a pariah.  He should be forever denied a chance, like Rose, to be in the Hall of Fame.  That's a fitting punishment.

 

Shame on you, Barry.

Janis here.

 

My slave seems to be amused by a few websites featuring felines in compromising positions.  Appearantly, he feels that these sites amuse him.

 

 http://icanhascheezburger.com/ and www.lolcats.com place some of our normal antics as kitties on to what my slave calls the World Wide Web.

 

One in particular made my slave laugh hysterically for some reason.  I think it has to do with what he calls work.

 

Snowball, I know you are out there watching.  Can you possibly help to explain this?

 

 

 

I'm sure everyone is aware of what happened in Minneapolis last night with the 35W bridge collapsing.  I've traveled on that bridge several times myself, have family who live near the Twin Cities, and I myself could have lived up there if my Daktronics job lead didn't pan out.

 

I've watched the footage on www.cnn.com of the bridge collapsing, and I think to myself, "My God."  Fortunately for my family, they don't use 35W, but 35E.  It's amazing, really.  Considering how fast they drive up there (if you've never been there, or if you are not used to it, people drive insane up there), it's rather amazing that there wasn't a pileup as well, for people slamming on the brakes suddenly.

 

I read an article today that the coach of the Detroit Pistons (for the NBA; might add he used to coach the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the CBA team Sioux Falls Skyforce) has a charmed life.   http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/basketball/nba/08/02/saunders.bridge.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

 

I'm not saying that his life or his daughter's are above those who died.  It's the fact that he witnessed the event, and did what anyone should have done, and call 911.

 

I have a co-worker who is supposed to go to the Cities for a concert in a few weeks.  He now may have to alter travel plans.  Consdering that this bridge is a major artery into downtown Minneapolis, the logistical nightmare is unthinkable.

 

I pray for those all affected.